It's where we deserve to be," smiled Jenson Button after grabbing his first pole position for three years.

In one of the most remarkable revivals in sporting history, a team that was down and out just under four months ago have turned Formula One on its head.

When Honda Racing pulled the plug on their F1 operation in early December citing the economic crisis, Button and Rubens Barrichello were staring at the scrapheap.

But now the duo will line up on the front row of the grid ahead of tomorrow's Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne's Albert Park.

It ended a remarkable day for the fledgling Brawn GP team as just hours earlier they confirmed Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group as a major sponsor.

Branson was later seen and heard on the pit wall uttering a joyous expletive or two as he watched Button beat Barrichello by three tenths of a second to give the Briton his fourth career pole.

It was with good reason as the duo, who only took to the track with the car just under three weeks ago, had written another remarkable chapter in F1's rich and varied history.

Reflecting on the last few months, and in particular a qualifying hour in which Brawn GP were never headed, Button said: "It has been so tough.

"Going from not having a drive or any future in racing, to putting it on pole here is just amazing. It really is.

"I have to give all credit to the team, and (team principal) Ross (Brawn) and (chief executive officer) Nick (Fry) for making this happen.

"This is where we deserve to be after those tough times we've had.

"It's been a long time since we've had a competitive car - 2006 when I put it on pole here.

"There are a lot of people who stand by you, which is fantastic, but there are a few people who don't, and they forget and don't believe.

"The thing is the people within the team believe, and that's all we care about, and they've proven it with this car.

"This is a great moment, not the most important of the weekend, but it's a good start, and there will be a lot of happy faces.

"Not just in our team, but for a lot of people who have travelled this journey with us, so it's good to be here."

Veteran Barrichello led the way from Button at the end of the first two qualifying periods, only for his team-mate to turn the tables when it mattered most.

Nevertheless, that did not knock the beaming smile off the face of the 36-year-old either.

"I want to emphasise what Jenson said, that it was a critical three or four months at home waiting for news," said Barrichello.

"So I'm really, really happy to be here, and I need to congratulate Ross and Nick on an outstanding job.

"Everyone who has touched this car needs credit because it is a really good car, so well done to the boys back in England as well.

"It has been a great day, and I was hoping I could put the car on pole, but the front row for both of us is a credit, and we must be happy."

It is the first time since March 1970 that a new team has been on pole, and the first time in 38 races that neither a Ferrari or McLaren are on the front row.

That underlines the impact the new regulations have had, especially as the Brawn GP car began life 18 months ago with all the funds Honda could throw at it.

That is somewhat ironic now they are no longer around, although the Mercedes engine at the team's disposal has played a major part, putting the German manufacturer's main supplier McLaren in the shade.

It was a day of disaster for reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton as he will start from a career-equalling low of 15th.

After scraping out of Q1 by just 0.049secs, he failed to show for Q2 due to his car suffering a drivetrain failure.

Behind the Brawns comes Sebastian Vettel on his debut for Red Bull Racing, with the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen down in seventh and ninth.

It later emerged Hamilton's McLaren suffered a fourth-gear failure, and as the team have decided to change the gearbox, that incurs a five-place grid penalty.

It means Hamilton will start from the back of the grid, the worst position of his F1 career, although not unfamiliar as he confirmed he has previously been there before in other categories.